


A Breather

by Ellohcee



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Comfort, Dating, F/M, Fluff, LadyNoir - Freeform, post-reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-05-29
Packaged: 2019-05-15 05:06:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14784113
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ellohcee/pseuds/Ellohcee
Summary: Sometimes they push themselves too hard, and when that happens they make sure the other is around to keep them in check,





	A Breather

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt “Why can’t you just believe me?” - “Because you lied about it before.” From [OTP Drabble Challenge](https://ellohcee.tumblr.com/post/173719437998/otp-drabble-challenge) On Tumblr
> 
> This work can also be found on my Tumblr [here](https://ellohcee.tumblr.com/post/173754201783/otp-drabble-98-with-ladynoir)

“Hey, Bug?”

She inhaled sharply, standing upright as her body twinged in that all-over shock of coming out of near-sleep. Ladybug blinked, coming back to awareness and looking over at Chat Noir. “Yeah kitty?” she asked, smiling.

Her partner’s frown deepened, walking over to her where she’d almost fallen asleep on her feet. Without a word, he wrapped her in a hug, shocking her into slumping against his chest just a little. It was not unusual for Chat to hug her, he loved hugs, and from what she could tell he didn’t get much of them in his civilian life. But this one was… different. If asked, Ladybug couldn’t describe with words why this particular embrace was out of the ordinary. But she felt it, like a breath of fresh air, like he was lending her strength.

“Are you okay?” Chat asked quietly, his voice low and calming near her ear.

“Yeah, why wouldn’t I be?” she countered easily, her voice steady and even as if she weren’t practically falling to the ground as she leaned full weight against her partner.

“Call me crazy,” the blonde drawled. “But you seem tired. Mmm, no, tired isn’t quite fitting, what’s the word… oh yeah, dead-on-your-feet exhausted?” he tutted softly.

“Nope, I’m fine,” Ladybug said confidently, feet sliding out a little from under her.

“You’re not,” he repeated. “Frankly you’re a wreck.”

Ladybug didn’t respond right away, opting instead to stare over his shoulder at the Paris skyline as her near-functioning brain processed the insult she felt. “Rude,” she finally replied.

“Alright, I’ve seen enough,” Chat sighed gravely, releasing her from the hug only to reposition and scoop her up bridal style, earning a squeak of surprise.

“Chat!”

“There’s no use arguing, because that dead-eyed response tells me you’re definitely sleep deprived.”

“I- what- arguing what, where are we even going?” Ladybug demanded as Chat carried her across the roof.

“We’re just gonna have a little sit down and a little nap, because you were about to pass out on your feet when we stopped for a minute,” Chat replied sternly, walking over to a row of chimney stacks and sitting down against the short wall.

“Chat,” she grumbled, attempting to get up. “Let go, we have patrol to do.”

“Patrol can wait,” he shot back easily, making himself comfortable.

“I’m  _fine_!”

Her partner sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. “Okay, let’s compromise. I see that in fact, yes, you are technically conscious and alive, but you are very,  _very_ tired Bugaboo, there’s no hiding that,” he said, watching her struggle fruitlessly against his casual embrace. “Buugggg,” he whined petulantly.

Ladybug abruptly stopped her halfhearted fight, brows furrowed under the mask as she began to realize that he was going to out-stubborn her in this stand off. “Why can’t you just believe me?” she asked softly.

Chat let out a puff of air, knowing he now had the upper hand. “Because you lied about it before,” he pointed out, not accusing, but as a simple fact. She frowned hard, he knew they were both thinking the same thing. It was a few months ago, she’d had a bad day and a bad night that turned into little-to-no sleep. She’d been bogged with school, patrol, Akumas, homework, designs, the bakery, and stayed up late into the night to get a project done.

And the next day, when the inevitable Akuma attack happened, it hadn’t been pretty. She’d fought well for the first few minutes, dodging and attacking with a little less grace than usual, but Ladybug had held her own. Chat worried over her, concerned, and Ladybug insisted she was fine. But after a particularly rough chase around Paris, her exhausted body was ready to quit, heart pounding, head spinning, and eyesight shifting. All it took was a fall, and catching hold of a building like she normally did. The abrupt stop and swing upward created enough force on her failing body that she’d passed out mid air. Chat barely had time to realize something was wrong and she’d been seconds from hitting pavement before he caught her.

It had been a close call, one that was burned into his memory of what could have happened, had he been a few seconds slower to react.

She was still silent, probably mulling over the memory as well, as she often beat herself up over that particular instance. “Bug,” he prompted again, gently butting his forehead against hers, and their eyes met. She looked so tired, so defeated, and finally let out a long sigh.

“A nap… sounds good,” Ladybug relented, earning a smile from her partner as he pulled her closer. She had to admit, he was warm, his arms felt nice, and she was ready to pass out.

“Want to drop transformation? You’ll nap better, and Tikki can have a cookie and charge up. That would probably help you too,” Chat offered. “I’ll keep watch.”

“No, no no no, not after last time,” Ladybug suddenly shook her head. “Chat Noir and Ladybug are dating, not Chat Noir and Marinette. I will not be on another newspaper, Chaton, we keep them separate.”

“Okay, okay,” he chuckled, loosening his hug a little so she could get comfortable. She let out another deep sigh, tinged with exhaustion, and closed her eyes. It didn’t take long at all for her to fall asleep, running on two hours of rest and protectively wrapped in Chat’s embrace had her out like a light within minutes. Chat leaned his cheek on the crown of her head, closing his own eyes and smiling. “Looks like I won the battle this time,” he purred.


End file.
